Rhiza Labs FluTracker Forum

http://www2.dothaneagle.com/dea/news/education/article/absences_continue_in_dale_county_school_systems_from_suspected_flu/88873/
By Ebony Horton

Published: August 25, 2009

More than 500 students have been reported absent in Dale County school systems this week as a result of suspected swine flu, according to officials.

Daleville City Schools Superintendent Andrew Kelley said about 10 percent of the entire student body was absent on Monday.

A total of 356 students were absent from Dale County School System, Schools Superintendent Donny Bynum said, though the numbers were not directly attributed to swine flu.

In Ozark, School Superintendent Mike Lenhart said total absences had been 99 as of Monday at Carroll High School alone. That number was up from 77 on Friday, he said.

Each school head said they were proactive in following state Department of Education and Department of Public Health guidelines in order to minimize exposure to germs and viruses.

Kelley said teachers are also proactive in recognizing flu-like symptoms and sending those students home.

Dale County Schools’ Absences:

Ariton Schools - 64

Dale County High - 50

G.W. Long Elementary School - 41

G.W. Long High School - 38

Newton Elementary School - 42

Midland City Elementary School - 30

South Dale Middle School - 91

Total - 356


Daleville City Schools Absences:

Approximately - 126


Ozark City Schools absences:

Carroll High School - 21

D.A. Smith Middle School - 9

Mixon Elementary School - 6

Lisenby Elementary School - 22

Thompkins Early Childhood Learning Center - 3

Total - 61

High numbers of Sylacauga students reporting illnesses

Brandon Fincher
08-26-2009

SYLACAUGA — A high number of students at Sylacauga city schools are reporting being sick, but it appears to be a stomach virus doing most of the damage right now instead of the H1N1 strain of influenza that has worried health officials around the world.

Lisa McGrady, the school system’s registered nurse, said students are fighting off strep throat, the flu and a stomach virus which are all making the rounds right now.

McGrady said her main complaint has been the stomach virus with students complaining of headaches and being nauseated but without any signs of fever.

The numbers of absences due to illness are high so far for this time of year, McGrady said. Tuesday there were 90 absences at Sylacauga High, 63 absences at Nichols-Lawson Middle and 50 at Pinecrest Elementary and 39 Indian Valley Elementary.

Usually schools do not see those types of numbers until the cold weather months.

Of those, four at Sylacauga, 21 at Indian Valley, 11 at Pinecrest and two at Indian Valley are known to be cases of the flu. McGrady said those numbers could possibly be higher because not all parents call in and report how their children have been diagnosed.

It is unclear if students with the flu have the H1N1 strain. The Alabama Department of Public Health is no longer testing which strains are H1N1 because over 99 percent of the positive influenza samples tested in the past four weeks were for the H1N1 strain.

McGrady said several of those students tested positive for Type A influenza which is the type H1N1 falls under.
http://www.dailyhome.com/news/2009/dh-s ... 5v5712.htm

http://www.wkrg.com/raw_news/article/hundreds-out-from-flu-in-opelika-and-lee-county/288368/Aug-25-2009_9-05-pm/

Opelika, Ala.

Hundreds of students are out sick with swine flu or flulike symptoms in Opelkia, Lee County and Auburn City schools.

Opelika City School superintendent Mark Neighbors said Tuesday the system has 340 students out sick and Auburn City Schools superintendent Terry Jenkins said 414 of their students are out.

Auburn University is reporting approximately 50 potential flu cases while Lee County Schools has numerous absences and is planning a head count Wednesday.

The school systems are sending students with fevers home.

Opelika head coach Brian Blackmon said he's had to come up with a whole new game plan since he's now missing a quarter of his team.

It is unclear if the reporter is confused, or it is the school nurse. However, swine flu causes sore throat, gastro-intestinal problems, and over 50% of infections have no fever. There is little doubt that the vast majority of the ill students have swine flu.

Alabama outbreaks will be clear after next map update

http://flutracker.rhizalabs.com/flu/gma ... 375&zoom=7

The H1N1 flu virus has arrived in Brewton and East Brewton — with mainly school children coming down with the symptoms


And on the medical side:


http://www.brewtonstandard.com/articles ... 716372.txt

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/08260 ... ation.html

Oak Mountain Middle School became the first school in Shelby County to reach a high absentee rate this school year, with 25 percent of its students missing from classrooms Wednesday.

Assistant Superintendent Tom Ferguson said the number has some parents concerned about the spread of the so-called "Swine Flu," but he said the absentee rate doesn't completely relate to the H1N1 virus.

"They've got a bunch of stuff going on over there," Ferguson said. "I talked with the principal this morning and he said they've got it all."

Almost 300 of the school's 1,224 students were missing.

School system spokeswoman Cindy Warner said parents are reminded to watch their children closely. The system asks that students not return to school until 24 hours after symptoms subside.

"A lot of parents have said they've tried to call their doctors and make appointments, but doctors are asking them to stay home and are calling prescriptions in based on the symptoms," Warner said.

Student Services Coordinator Donna Dickson said Shelby County School's code of conduct does not require a doctor's note for absences.

Ferguson, meanwhile, said the system is working on protocol for the possibility of school closures. He said it would be more likely to happen if staff began coming down with the virus, which hasn't happened yet.

http://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/new ... lu-spread/

Middle school grades hit hard by flu symptoms

By Jim Cox SA Publisher
The flu bug—be it seasonal or H1N1 (swine flu) has hit the Clarke County public school system hard. As of Tuesday, the eight schools in the system reported 358 absences. The system has just over 3,400 students so that is an absentee rate of about 11 percent.
http://www.southalabamian.com/news/2009 ... e/003.html